Monday Morning Fire Consumes Sanatoga Town Home

SANATOGA PA – Raging flames and thick black smoke enveloped a town home (Monday, Aug. 18, 2014) shortly after 6 a.m. in Building 30 of the Rolling Hills apartment complex, 2120 Buchert Rd. Firefighters from about 10 different area companies, several ambulances, and Lower Pottsgrove police were dispatched to the scene.

No one was reported as injured.

The end-unit residence in which the fire seemed to have started appeared to be a complete loss, with the structure heavily charred and showing gaping holes on its front and rear sides. An adjacent town home also seemed to have suffered structural damage, and observers said several others were at least affected by smoke damage.

Building 30 is located across the parking lot from the Rolling Hills rental office.

Residents of nearby buildings, some of them still dressed in sleepwear and slippers, poured from their homes into surrounding drives and parking areas to watch the fire scene. Many took pictures or video with their cell phones. “Oh my God, oh my God,” one woman cried as she viewed the burning home.

Thick smoke trailed east across the sky toward Limerick as fire companies arrived. Later, as the flames were being extinguished, smoke hung low over streets and buildings north and east of Buchert Road. Television news helicopters hovered overhead.

See a gallery of 15 photos taken at the scene. Click on any thumbnail photo (at the bottom of this page) to see it on a separate page, then click the photo there to see it in full size.

Other coverage:

Nine people from three families affected by the fire are receiving food, clothing and shelter assistance from the American Red Cross of Southeastern Pennsylvania, The (Pottstown PA) Mercury said. A woman was inside one of the affected homes but escaped without injury, it added.